


The Best Friend's Secret

by dstyfx11



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Betrayal, Canonical Character Death, First Crush, Unrequited Crush
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-31 00:17:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15107789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dstyfx11/pseuds/dstyfx11
Summary: Marietta’s been best friends with Cho since her first year and has kept many of her secrets. What secrets does she keep from Cho though? And what does this have to do with her betraying the DA at the end?





	1. The First Secret

  
The first day of school is always tough, especially when it’s your first time away from home. Of course I was happy when I got my Hogwarts letter, but that didn’t stop my knees from knocking together as I walked down the train. Clearly, I wasn’t going to be in Gryffindor.

  
The doors rattled as people boarded the train, and I knew I had to find a seat quickly. I peeked into the carriage next to me and finally saw an empty seat, but there was already a girl inside. I looked her over. Dark straight hair, pale skin and delicate features, but she looked to be around eleven years old as well. Her tie was as black as mine too, which was a good sign. I knocked on the door.

  
“Hi, I’m Marietta Edgecombe, can I sit here?” I tried to make my voice confident, but it came out as shaky as my knocking knees.

  
“I’m Cho. Please sit.” She gestured elegantly to the seat opposite me. “Are you a first year too?”

  
“Yes.” I inwardly cringed at how formal that was.

  
“Do you know what house you want to be in?” Cho asked. “I would like to be in Hufflepuff I think. I’ve heard they’re all very nice.”

  
“As long as it’s not Slytherin, I think I’d be alright.” I said. My dad, may he rest in peace, had been a Muggleborn, and I doubted I would be accepted either way. Still, it was a good sign that Cho had been interested in Hufflepuff.

  
“I suppose they’ve got a bad reputation. Sweet?” Cho changed the subject. I accepted and let the conversation change to our favourite sweets.

  
*

  
The Great Hall was as I had pictured after reading Hogwarts: A History. The enchanted ceilings, the floating candles, but the grandeur was much more overwhelming than I could have pictured. I found myself gripping Cho’s hand, afraid that I was going to disappear in the large space. She squeezed back before going to get sorted.

  
The Ravenclaw table cheered when I was sorted there, and I took my seat beside Cho. We were soon joined by a few others, though we had the least new students of the four houses. It was to be expected, we were told by the older students. The house of the wise required a certain mindset to enter.

  
No one but me noticed Cho sneaking some mint humbugs from the table into her pockets. When she saw me looking, she placed a finger to her mouth and I knew I would be keeping many of her secrets.


	2. So many secrets later

“Cho!” I called as I ran down the stairs from our dormitory. She had just come in from Quidditch practice. It has been five years since I met her, and though there’s no Quidditch team this year, it hasn’t stopped her from practicing.

  
“Mar! You’re not going to believe what just happened. I broke my record for catching the Snitch.” Her excitement was contagious. I wasn’t particularly interested in Quidditch, but I cheered her on every time. She flung her hair over her shoulders and smiled at me. “We’re going to win the Quidditch cup next year. I’m sure of it.”

  
“If you’re sure, I’m sure you’ll make it happen,” I said. “But don’t forget that Flitwick’s been nagging us about O.W.L.S. And we’ve got the career interviews this year as well. Next year’s Quidditch can wait.”

  
“You’re such a nag, Mar.” Cho flopped down on an armchair. “We’re both doing well enough at school.”

  
I leaned over and looked her in the eyes. Her almond shaped eyes looked strange upside down. “I know, but that’s why you love me,” I said.

  
She shrieked and pushed me away. I laughed and sat beside her, and we started discussing the Triwizard tournament. Cho was not keen on it, but I thought that was mostly because she’s Quidditch-mad. I was more excited at the prospect of learning about different wizarding schools. Everyone in Ravenclaw was hoping for Rodger Davis to represent our school, but apparently applications for the spot aren’t open yet.

  
“Honestly though, if we couldn’t join, then we should at least have Quidditch! Now we have nothing to distract from our O.W.L.S!” Cho was going on again. I just smiled at her and nodded. We’d been friends for so long that I knew she was merely impatient to find out as well. “Do you think Cedric Diggory will get it over Davis?”

  
I felt a warm feeling in my stomach at the mention of Cedric Diggory. Cho didn’t know, of course she didn’t. I was too good at keeping secrets. But Cedric Diggory gave me butterflies every time he spoke to me. It was rare to be sure, but I had run into him last summer when visiting my mother at the Ministry and we had become friends of sorts. I hadn’t mentioned it to Cho.

  
“Marietta. You there?” Cho was waving her hands in front of me. I had spaced out. I felt a flush creep over my skin and Cho began laughing. “What? Do you like Cedric too?” she asked.

  
“Too?” The word barely came out of my mouth.

  
“I was just thinking at dinner last night that he looks really good. Very handsome. And you know he gave me some tips on Seeking last year. I think I like him. And well, you went so blank I thought you must like him too.” With each of Cho’s words, my heart sank lower and lower.

  
“Are you serious about him?” I found myself asking before I had even thought it through.

  
“Well, I mean, it’ll be nice, but if you’re interested, I’ll back you up.” Cho lay her head on my shoulder. “You’re so nice, Marietta, you’d probably just say to see who he decides on. But I’m being serious. If you want, I’ll help you.”

  
Part of me wanted to scream yes to Cho’s offer. After all, Cedric Diggory had been my crush for the past year, ever since he told everyone it wasn’t fair that Hufflepuff won when Harry Potter fell off his broom. But I didn’t think he would even notice me beside Cho. No one did. It wouldn’t be fair of me to tell Cho to say no if he asked her out to Hogsmeade. I excused myself to go to the library. Cho had to shower, so she said she would meet me there. I hoped she would take her time.

  
***

  
The Hogwarts library was always a good place to hide from well meaning best friends. Between the stacks of old dusty books, it was quiet. I did wonder why the books were all so dusty if the Ravenclaws were as knowledge driven as we claimed to be. It would be much more likely that all the books had been read at one point or another by the book-worms of Ravenclaw. Still, I wasn’t one to randomly pull out a book and start reading, so perhaps I was being too harsh on my own house.

  
The Hogwarts library was also a good place to ogle at people it seemed, as I came across a group of girls giggling while peering around the corners of the bookshelves. I looked and saw the very person I had wanted to avoid - Cedric Diggory. But Cho wasn’t around, and this would be a good opportunity to speak to him again, without my more beautiful friend. A tiny voice in my head told me that it was unfair to speak to him without Cho’s knowledge, but the bigger part urged me to go and say hello. So I listened to that part.

  
“Hi Cedric.” I greeted him after walking around his fanclub. I looked at the shelf he had been perusing. “Potions eh, Professor Snape set an essay already?”

  
“Oh, hello Marietta.” His deep voice set off the butterflies in my stomach again. “How are you doing?”

  
“I’m good. Hoping to get a head start on the O.W.L.S. Mine are this year. How did you find them last year?”

  
“You Ravenclaws never stop do you?” He chuckled, and I mentally hit myself. Stupid Marietta. You could have asked him anything else. Now he thinks you’re a swot.

He smiled and spoke to me, “from our conversations at the Ministry, I think you’d have nothing to worry about. You’re one of the top students in your year, right?”

  
“Not really. I’m doing very badly at Charms. Professor Flitwick doesn’t know what to do with me,” I said. It was the truth. I did very well in Potions and Transfiguration, but Charms eluded me.

  
“Well if you need help, you can always ask me. I did get an O in that.” His smile was disarming. I nodded and heard my name being called. Cho had come. Madam Pince shushed her, as usual.

  
“Hi Cedric.” Cho came up beside me and grabbed onto my arm. “How was your summer?”

  
I looked at my best friend, and a nasty feeling of jealousy came over me. I pushed it down, not wanting to ruin our friendship, but it was hard to do so when Cho was blinking her long eyelashes at him. Now his grey eyes were completely on her. I looked down at my shoes, noticing that theirs were shiny while mine were dirty. They really were more suited to be together.

 

“It was good, but busy. How was yours?” Cho asked. I pulled my arm away from hers.

  
“Good. I’ve been keeping busy.”

  
“I heard you were going for the Triwizard. Marietta and I hope Hogwarts wins.” She smiled.

  
“Yes, though a Ravenclaw champion would be best of course.” I mentally hit myself again. That sounded like I didn’t want Cedric to get it.

  
“Well, house pride is important. Personally, I don’t mind who gets it as long as Hufflepuff gets it’s turn in the spotlight.” He smiled and excused himself to finish his Potions essay.

  
“Mar! Why did you do that? It was going so well.” Cho smacked my head lightly. I shrugged. She didn’t have to rub it in. I knew that already.

  
“Let’s just go study,” I said, turning away from him. I didn’t want to see them making eyes at each other.  
 


End file.
